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March 6, 2025
On the web
Safaricom M-Pesa to Assist Healthcare Payments Digitisation in Ethiopia
Developing Telecoms
December 17, 2024
On the web
Parliament Approves Banking Proclamation, Allowing Foreign Banks to Enter Ethiopia’s Financial Sector
Addis Standard
June 26, 2024
On the web
Ethiopia to Establish CBDC Framework Following New Banking Reforms Approval
CoinGeek
June 19, 2024
On the web
Ethiopia Approves Banking Reforms Promoting CBDC
The Crypto Times
February 8, 2024
On the web
Safaricom Reports Significant M-Pesa Growth in Ethiopia
ITWeb Africa
August 28, 2023
On the web
Ethiopia Envisions Linking Digital ID with Payments
Shega
August 16, 2023
On the web
Safaricom Launches M-Pesa Mobile Money Service in Ethiopia
Nasdaq
July 5, 2023
On the web
State-Owned Giants Collaborate to Offer Expanded Loan Products
Shega
October 10, 2022
On the web
Ethiopia Approves Roll Out of M-Pesa
Business Daily
“Ethiopia has okayed Safaricom to introduce its popular mobile money service, M-Pesa, in the market of over 110 million people. The announcement was made during the national launch of Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia (STE) in the capital Addis Ababa, at a ceremony attended by President William Ruto and his host Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, on Thursday.”
August 8, 2022
On the web
Telebirr Launches Credit, Saving, Overdraft Services
Shega
“Ethio Telecom has launched its long-anticipated micro-credit and saving scheme through its Telebirr mobile money platform. The state-owned telecom operator, in partnership with Dashen Bank, launched Telebirr Mela, Telebirr Sanduk, and Telebirr EndeKise, today at Skylight Hotel, August 5, 2022. Telebirr Mela is a microloan service that allows users to take out small loans without collateral based on their credit score. Telebirr Sanduk enables users to save money and earn an interest of 7 p.c on it.”
June 1, 2021
On the web
A Populous African Nation Is Coveted by Biggest Kenyan Lender
Bloomberg
“Kenya’s biggest bank by assets is expecting Ethiopia to open up financial services to foreign investors after liberalizing its telecommunications industry. KCB Group will seek a full-banking license in the Horn of Africa country if or when it changes regulations to allow the move, Chief Executive Officer Joshua Oigara said in an interview. The lender has a representative office and a digital financial-services partnership in Ethiopia, providing a growth platform, he said.”
May 26, 2021
On the web
One Million Ethiopians Signed up for the Country’s First Mobile Wallet in One Week
Quartz
“More than 1 million cellphone subscribers in the populous African country of Ethiopia have registered for a new mobile money service less than a week after its launch by state-controlled Ethio Telecom, the company has said. The service, called Telebirr, is to be integrated with banks in the coming weeks. The interest in Ethiopia’s first mobile money platform reflects “the huge pent-up demand for mobile money services in Ethiopia,” a spokesperson for the World Bank said. Combined with the government’s process to open up the telecom sector to foreign players, it expects soon “to see a wider range of digital financial services, such as online savings accounts, loans, [and] insurance services,” the World Bank added in an emailed statement.”
May 12, 2021
On the web
UPDATE 1-Ethiopia’s State Telecoms Monopoly Launches Mobile Money Service
Reuters
“Ethiopia’s sole mobile operator, Ethio Telecom, launched a mobile phone-based financial service on Tuesday, seeking to boost growth by offering cashless transactions. Mobile financial services have become a significant part of African telecom operators’ businesses since Kenya’s Safaricom pioneered them with M-Pesa in 2007, giving people an alternative to banks. The new service, telebirr, will mark a shift for Ethiopia, where the banking system is seen as inefficient with 19 commercial banks serving a population of about 115 million.”
May 3, 2021
On the web
Ethiopia Pledges to Allow Mobile Money for New Telecom Entrants
Bloomberg
“Ethiopia has pledged to allow prospective owners of new telecom licenses to offer mobile-banking services at some point after entering the market, according to people familiar with the matter. The initial exclusion of mobile money from the auction process had caused wireless carriers to hesitate over bidding for the new spectrum and influenced the amount they were prepared to offer, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the process is ongoing. The state also backtracked on an insistence that new entrants rent infrastructure such as telecom towers from state-owned Ethio Telecom indefinitely, they said.”
April 28, 2021
On the web
Mobile Money Finally Comes to Ethiopia
Developing Telecoms
“Ethio Telecom, the – for now – monopoly telecommunications provider in Ethiopia, has announced the roll-out of a mobile money service. Called TeleBirr, it will be available to Ethio Telecom subscribers from May this year. Although the government is planning to allow two new operators to compete with Ethio Telecom, they won’t be permitted to offer mobile money services. Ethio Telecom, by contrast, has the approval of the country’s Council of Ministers to offer digital financial services. The process apparently began over a year ago with a proposal to the National Bank of Ethiopia, which approved the application.”
April 26, 2021
On the web
Vodafone, MTN Groups Bid for Telecom Licenses in Ethiopia
Bloomberg
“MTN Group Ltd. and a consortium led by Vodafone Group Plc have bid for telecommunications licenses in Ethiopia, as wireless service providers look to tap the last remaining large market in the world. Ethiopia will take a few days to review the technical offer and then open the financial bids, said Brook Taye, an adviser in the Finance Ministry.”
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